The present research utilized a cross-lagged model over a four-month period to explore relationships between self-affirmation and self-esteem in a sample of adolescents from low-income households. We hypothesized a directional relationship wherein greater self-affirmation at Wave 1 would be associated with increased self-esteem four months later at Wave 2. Wave 1 data were collected from 144 adolescents in fall 2019, with Wave 2 data collected in spring 2020. Cross-lagged models supported the hypothesis. Greater self-affirmation at Wave 1 was associated with greater self-esteem four months later (β = 0.26, p < .001), whereas self-esteem at Wave 1 did not predict changes in self-affirmation four months later. Results support the conceptualization that self-affirmation bolsters self-esteem over time among certain adolescents.

本研究利用一个为期四个月的交叉滞后模型来探讨低收入家庭青少年样本中自我肯定与自尊之间的关系。我们假设存在一种方向关系，其中第一波的更大的自我肯定会与四个月后的第二波的自尊心增强相关。第一波的数据收集于2019年秋季的144名青少年中，第二波的数据收集于2020年春季。滞后模型支持该假设。在第1浪中更大的自我肯定与四个月后更大的自尊有关（β  = 0.26，p <.001），而第一波的自尊心并没有预测四个月后自我肯定的变化。结果支持以下概念化：在某些青少年中，自我肯定会随着时间的推移增强自尊。